BLuE program
BLuE is for people with learning disabilities.
BLuE is for people with psychological disabilities.
BLuE prepares students to work as an assistant.
→ BLuE folder (in German) (PDF)
→ BLuE folder in easy-read (in German) (PDF)
What is BLuE?
BLuE is the name of a university program at the Salzburg University of Education Stefan Zweig.
BLuE stands for:
- Education
- Life Skills
- Empowerment
Empowerment means:
- All people should be able to live as independently as possible.
- They should be able to make decisions for themselves.
- They should take responsibility for themselves.
How does BLuE work?
The BLuE program lasts 4 years:
1st Year – You get to know the program, discover your interests, and identify your focus areas.
2nd Year – You learn new skills and strengthen what you already know.
3rd Year – You deepen your knowledge in a specific focus area.
4th Year – You gain even more expertise in your chosen focus area.
You prepare for a future job.
You attend courses with other students.
You participate in university events.
Teachers at the university help plan your studies.
University students support you during your studies.
You do internships to get work experience.
At the end, you receive a BLuE certificate.
A certificate is similar to a diploma.
Do you have a question?
Feel free to send us an email: blue.programm@phsalzburg.at
Film about the BLuE program
BLuE film
Want to learn more?
Then click the arrow in the bottom right corner next to each heading.
- Folder (PDF) (in German)
- Folder (PDF)Easy-Read (in German)
- Registration Form (in German)
Information and Registration
Questions about registration are answered by:
Verena Hawelka
Open Day: March 12, 2025
Registration deadline for the academic year 2025/2026: no later than March 21, 2025
5 Steps to Admission to the BLuE program:
- Get in touch
Feel free to send us an email if you are interested in the program!
We respond to every inquiry. - Information Session
We would be happy to tell you more about BLuE.
There are many options for this:We can have a phone call.
We can arrange an online meeting.
You can visit us for an in-person meeting.
You can ask any questions, and we will provide answers. - Fill out the registration
You need to fill out the registration form and send it to us.
You can find it here: Registration Form
It is also important for us to have your motivation letter.
This means: You write down why you want to participate in the BLuE program.
We need a current passport photo of you.
Additionally, we need the following documents from you as copies:- Birth certificate
– Proof of citizenship
– Most recent report card
– Criminal record certificate - Interview
Once we have received all the documents:
You will be invited to an interview.
The interviews usually take place in April.
We will discuss in detail how the BLuE program could work for you. - Acceptance or Waitlist
In April, you will receive a notification about your acceptance into BLuE.
Each year, 2 students are accepted into BLuE.
Sometimes, there are more applicants than available study places for BLuE.
In that case, there will be a waitlist.
Applicants on the waitlist can reapply the following year.
Who can apply for BLuE?
BLuE is for people with learning disabilities and/or people with psychological disabilities.
The following is important:
- You are at least 18 years old.
- You can read and write.
- You can use a computer and a mobile phone.
- You want to get a job after the program.
- You want to lead an independent life.
BLuE prepares people with learning disabilities and/or psychological disabilities for an assistant profession:
- Education Assistant
You work as an assistant in schools or kindergartens.
For example, you help children with studying.
- Assistant in Tourism
Tourism refers to the travel and hospitality industry.
You work as an assistant in hotels or guesthouses.
https://bic.at/berufsinformation.php?beruf=tourismusassistent*in&brfid=2853
- Assistant in Office Work
You support people who work in an office.
For example, you organize important documents.
Learn more about the profession here.
- Assistant in Services
You work as an assistant in the service sector.
For example, in property management.
https://bic.at/berufsinformation.php?beruf=dienstleistungsassistent*in&brfid=2857
Every semester, you complete an internship.
During the internship, you try out different assistant professions.
Our partners:
Questions about internships are answered by:
Theresa Thalhamer
Christina Penn
At BLuE, many different people work together.
Sometimes, challenging situations arise.
For example:
Someone feels overwhelmed.
Someone feels threatened.
Someone needs help.
The support center is for everyone participating in the BLuE program.
You can reach out if you have a problem or notice a problem.
Together, we can solve problems more effectively.
We respond quickly and provide the best possible support.
Your concerns will be heard by:
Nicola Sommer
There is an email address for all questions: blue.programm@phsalzburg.at
We forward each message to the right person.
Here you can see how many people work at BLuE:
Director: Maria Kreilinger
Coordination:
Tutorium: Verena Hawelka, Kreilinger Maria
Applications and Admissions: Verena Hawelka
Internship: Christina Penn, Theresa Thalhamer
Development Dialogues: Irene Moser
Emotional hygiene and supervison: Claudia Depauli
Schedules: Nicola Sommer
ARGE BLuE: Nicola Sommer, Theresa Thalhamer
Online student platform and Certificates: Sabine Harter-Reiter
Backoffice:
Scientific Support: Robert Schneider
We want many people to be aware of inclusive programs. We have established a network to make the programs visible.
The network is called joinIN.
Here is the homepage of joinIN:
The teams of the programs can exchange ideas.
The teams can improve their programs.
For example, they can share results from their research.
Everyone can read about how to design an inclusive program.
Would you like to research about BLuE?
For example, research on the blue program or with people involved in the program (BLuE students, tutors, steering team, instructors of BLuE students, etc.).
Then contact us at: blue.programm@phsalzburg.at